The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-08-18
Thursday, August Is, 1887.
THE FREE NORMAL q

In n notice published several weeks
ego in the Posr, stated that con-
cluded not to hold tho usual Free
Normal this year aud furthermore.
said that l would give my reasons
for this conclusion.
Every Office s a public trust aud
in the discharge OF tue duties Of any
trust tho officer should always re-
spect tho rights Of his constituents.
With true sense Of the dignity
and nobility of the trust conlided TO
me, and with n high appreciation for
the rights OF others, | shall endeavor
to set forth such reasons for discou-
tinuing the "Free Normal iustitu
ted three years ago, as l think arc
pertinent ! realize that school di-
rectors and teachers are interested 4
in this change and that is the only
excuse have to offer for the publ
cation of this article. In The first
place | may bo allowed to remark
that it docs not belong to the prov
inoe OF superintepdsnts Of common
schools to conduct any school The
school law specifically declares that
he must not have any pecuniary in
tersst in any educational enterprise
and consequently the conducting Of
Norm al is simply matter Of
choice and not Of duty or obligation.
am eatisfed that great good can be
accomplished wherever teachers
assemble for the purpose of inteloc-
tiDoaa ffSsaSs"ST. fi6SsaEs %e.. ""a is nc educa-
'Norihsi | would be doing great in
justice TO teachers for not providing
the proper advantages for their pre-
paration. Summer Schools are be-
coming numerous throughout the
county, but such schools arc deaign-
ed to give teachers and others ops
portunities to prepare in n special
line OF work. Teachers, rs gen
eral thing, look not 20 much in book
learning ns they do in teaching
force. The ability TO impart may be
largely native talent but any native
talent il susceptible Of improvement
and in order that teachers may ex-
pertinent less thoy should stndy
principles and methods Of teaching
more. Slperintendents everywhere
are asking for better professional
preparation and according TO IN,
ju lgment tho demand is timely,
Our schools will not DO what they
might be made as long as thero ia ao
little professional training, | refel
to those things because believe
that [ can do as good service to
teachers in the different schools q
the county in this one department
as / would be able TO do il gave
my time to prepare teachers for eI-
aminations.
The minimum school term il Low
six months. This increase Of the
term necosaitated earlier exa,nina-
tions aud the period bstweou the
possible opening of Normal aud
tho examinations would haye been
too snort 10 accomplish what ought
10 be done in such course. Tho
educational facilities Of The county
baYe never been better aud il the
schools (select aud academies) can
prepare teachers for their work
see no good reason why we should
not encourage such achools through
out the county Marked improve
nentA can be seen in localities where
schools have beGn established but a
few years ago and il the results OF
snch schools are NEARLY local no sys-
tem Of things ought to cripple ,hego
efforts 10 elevate tue culture Of any
community.
The question Of eEpeuae 10 teach
ers is sometimes used in favor of Il
Normal bat an of the opinion
that the majority can prepare thom-
selves as choap this year AZ they
wonld have boon sble 10 do in a
Free Normal | mean to shirk no
duty aud ! will spare NO effort to
promote the educational interests Of
tie whole county and ma honest
to nay convictions when l say that ]
believe that can do teachers and
schools more good without the Nor.
mel than with IL